This might be sudden, but it will only take a moment of your time, so please answer the question I am about to ask honestly, giving your honest opinion on this topic.
Are people equal or not?
A proper societal structure will consistently strive for equality. There are those that clamour for men and women to be completely equal and always be considered as such. As a result we created laws which guaranteed women a place in the working environment, we made specialised subway cars only for woman. Sometimes, woman will argue over the order of names in the family registry.
We are also taught to not associate disabled people with that term, due to public perception changing on them. Instead we use words such as 'Special' to refer to those with disabilities so as to not discriminate against them. These days children are taught that all people are equal.
Yet is that actually the case?
I have my doubts.
Men and women specialise in different things:
Women make better teachers whilst Men make better police officers, that isn't sexism because at it's core it is one hundred percent the truth. Women have more development in the limbic system part of the brain, the emotion part of the brain, allowing them to empathise and pursue personal connections leading them to be better teachers and in general better at social interaction then men are.
Men are the complete opposite in which they tend to develop more logical reasoning skills due to more development in the prefrontal lobe parts of the brain, of course men tend to be physically stronger and faster than the average women. But really it is the logical reasoning which make men better leaders overall as a good leader needs to be logical and to make sacrifices in order to win.
If men and women have different abilities then their roles reflect that.
And disabled people still are disabled no matter what way you put it. The meaning of the word does not change, no matter what polite euphemisms one uses.
So my answer to my own question is a resounding no, humans, or if there is other life out there is not equal. We aren't equal because we were never meant to be equal thus the concept of Equality does not exist.
In a bygone era, a great man once said, 'Heaven does not create set one man above or below another any other.' However he did adhere to the principles of equality particularly as there is more to this famous passage. It goes like this: 'Everyone is equal when they are born, so I ask, why do we see differences in position and status?' And it continues: 'Do you or do you not encourage learning to create a difference?' So then education creates an imbalance. The point's spelled out crystal clear in the famous work Gakumon no sume.
Even though this is the year, 2024, the modern era, nothing about these teachings change with the only difference being that the situation on equality has only grown more complex and fraught.
In any case such a question is useless to me now.
I was dead, there was no if's or but's about it.
What killed me? Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies also known as prion diseases, are a group of progressive, incurable, and fatal conditions that are associated with prions and affect the brain and nervous system. Prions are a misfolded protein which induces the misfolding of normal variants of the same protein and triggers cellular death. The proteins may misfold sporadically, due to genetic mutations, or by exposure to an already misfolded protein.
And this can happen at any time as if the body fails it can lead to the misfold of a protein spelling a persons doom. There is no treatment as well as prion diseases are uncurable. Meaning that as soon as you get it. you will die.
The types of TSEs, shorted form, have different conditions in humans and non-human Mammals but all end in the same way, death.
The specific type I had was Fatal familial insomnia.
When I was first diagnosed, I had only just left the White Room, a top secret facility in which children from birth are trained in various things and leave when they are 13 years old to be transferred to schools.
My past is besides the point however and has nothing to do with where I am right now.
A dark endless abyss, the void described in books but not quite the same. I could see ,without eyes, these small wisps of light floating around me, each one having distinct colours. I think they were souls of people who have died, illuminating small parts of the vast emptiness around me.
I did try to speak but nothing came out, thus I was stuck with the inability to confirm my suspicions. Except it did, as none of the wisps had mouths meaning that our inability to speak must be from this confirming that to them, I was one of them.
I could move as well but that is if I willed myself to. And whilst slow I could move about this vast expense of nothingness. Yet I didn't care about that, what I cared about was simply staying still and observing the other lights.
It became a newfound obsession of mine to imagine what they were in life, what they did, what were they like and more. I did this as it let me pass the time in this void and kept my mind active. Of course I had over ways to do the same.
Imagining myself in different anime's.
After I had left the White Room I met someone who introduced me to anime and it quickly became a past time of mine when I wasn't reading mystery novels and solving the mystery before I knew what it was. Funnily enough I had a 95% win rate against all mystery novels I've read in terms of solving it.
The first thing I did in those scenario's was actively check if something like the White Room could exist there in my mind, if the facility could fit into the world, what changes happen. Where would this version be placed?
Yet as more time passed here a harrowing thought occurred to me; 'Would I be here until my mind broke?' Even I couldn't take that in stride, yet I managed.
After a while I started counting the seconds that passed since I had been here, without the first few, days, years potentially counted.
I simply was bored of thinking so I resorted into thinking only of numbers that went up.
946080000, 946080001, 946080002.
The numbers constantly increased per second as I stayed in spot and waited.
And then randomly as 35 years passed since I first started counting I heard a voice, "Come child, you have stayed here long enough." The voice spoke in a soothing, almost calm tone as a light enveloped my body suddenly. Then I felt wet? Like I was covered in water, and I felt, alive?
Slowly I got used to the feeling, my eyes still closed but I could feel my own body. Still very wet.
Rebirth? No a rebirth wouldn't make me wet unless, was I still in the womb? My eyes opened to show a green almost strange liquid enveloping my body, the glass in front of me was clear and I could see a bit.
Humans with tails? Monkey tails specifically, a pod all with black hair and eyes. Was I in Dragon Ball as a Saiyan?
No that isn't possible it couldn't be, I should calm down, meditation should do the trick.
I slowed my breathing down, keeping an even pace for breathing and slowly clearing my mind of any and all emotional influences. I simply had to think rationally here, then I felt something, a strange current of energy concentrated at the centre of my body flowing throughout it from that point.
KI.
After everything I had to admit it to myself, I was in Dragon Ball as a Saiyan. Everything fit but I didn't want to admit it.
Logically the idea of rebirth was something illogical but it would make sense to me if it was real, but this, the logicality of this was unexplainable. Anime was fictional, it wasn't real yet the proof in front of my eyes shows the opposite.
Did that void actually break my mind? Was I still real at this point?
I took a deep breath calming down as I decided to think calmly about my situation.
I was reborn as a Saiyan in Dragon Ball. First how? Well clearly that voice had, that was a Goddess wasn't it? Her voice was silky and smooth, then there's the way she said child telling me I stayed there long enough. And this is where I am now, what is going on? I have to accept this fact though, all evidence leads to me being reborn into an anime world.
If I could sigh or laugh at my situation I would've. Unfortunately that would not be a smart move considering the tank.
I guess I should assume that I'm an infant as well. Well at least I know what I should do in the meantime.
I began to meditate again, having not so many options I began to train my Ki Control. If I remember correctly Piccolo did this a lot to further his control over Ki. I tried manipulating the flow at the same time.
Ki Control has increased: New skill [Basic Ki Control] unlocked.
In my mind those words appeared with an almost robotic voice speaking to me.
System has integrated itself with user, Betrae. Hello there, I am your Systematic Guide, SG for short, call out status in your mind so we may begin the tutorial.
A system? And Betrae is my name, I presume. This cannot be real though, the idea of having a system doesn't sound that bad. I don't believe this however, that void must've made me crazy for this to be a thing, but I guess playing along for now won't be that bad.
Status
Name: Betrae
Race: Saiyan
Age: 0.1
Title: None
Stats:
Level 1
EXP: 0/20
Power Level: 2700
Strength: 1
Dexterity: 1
Constitution: 1
Ki Control: 2
Ability Points: 3
Now then, even out your stats.
I did as said, putting a point in all stats.
Tutorial Quest 1/3 complete
Reward: 25 EXP
You have leveled up
I saw the status update to my new stats
Status
Name: Betrae
Race: Saiyan
Age: 0.1
Title: None
Stats:
Level 2
EXP: 5/30
Power Level: 2775
Strength: 2
Dexterity: 2
Constitution: 2
Ki Control: 2
Ability Points: 3
Would you like to end tutorial here or continue on?
I should get a basic grasp on things.
Tutorial 2/3: View Perks and Skills. I'm sure you can do this bit.
I viewed my perks first.
Perks:
Saiyan Power: Commonly referred to as Zenkai boosts, this ability enables Saiyans to recover quickly from harm, learning from injuries and experiences. This adaptation improves their instincts, resistance, physical strength, and efficiency, making future injuries less likely. The more severe the damage, the greater the improvement, making prolonged battles advantageous for them.
Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory: This is a condition that leads people to be able to remember an abnormally large number of their life experiences in vivid detail. It is extraordinarily rare. How you recall these memories is episodic as if you're living through that day again.
Certain Skills and perks can come from your past life if you have any.
Interesting, so if that's the case then the Martial Arts I practiced in White Room will be in skills. With that in mind I viewed my skills seeing 3 different tabs for skills.
Transformation Skills
Oozaru: Allows a Saiyan to transform into a giant ape under the influence of a full moon or other sources of Blutz Waves. This form grants an increase in power, strength, and durability, but comes with the loss of control and rationality. 50% Mastery of this skill can allow the user to retain their a bit of their rationality and control the state to an extent, with 100% Mastery allowing the user to completely control the form.
Current Mastery: 0%
Regular Skills
Martial Arts (All): This ability accounts for every Martial Art you have learned and can only be obtained upon learning more than 5 types of Martial Arts. This skill accounts for all Martial Arts you have learned in the past and future should you learn more.
Chess: You are good at Chess, this skill increases your ability to retain information and strategize.
Ki Skills
Basic Ki Control: This ability allows you to control Ki to an extent and manipulate it to form energy attacks, the more energy used the stronger the attack.
Basic Ki Control? That was the skill I learned after increasing my Ki Control.
Skills can be learned through upgrading regular stats, though uncommon. Basic Ki control unlocks at 2 and the Intermediate form will unlock later on.
I could guess that much.
Tutorial Quest 2/3 complete
Reward: 25 EXP, Common Gem
You have leveled up
Tutorial Quest 3/3 Use the common Gem
Common Gem?
Gems are used for the Gacha Wheel. To use the Gem you must open the Inventory and select it
Could have figured that out myself but the first bit is helpful. Normally it would be tickets, not gems.
Opening the Inventory, creating this sort of 10 by 10 square grid to appear in my mind. 100 smaller with one having a white gemstone that seemed to be cut triangularly with perfect symmetry, focusing on it opened up another menu.
This menu had what looked to be a wheel with random things written in areas on the wheel too small to read properly. The ones I could read seemed as if this wheel gave Items and Skills from the looks of it. Some skills and items from other shows as well.
I spun the wheel using my Gem in the process, I didn't expect good loot or anything.
Healing Potions X3 has to inventory.
As predicted though 3 Healing Potions would work for training. If they actually helped with the Zenkai boost.
Although after everything I've come to accept that this is truly my new reality and I don't know if it's pitiable or laughable or a dream come true. The last one was never in my case, a lot of anime worlds like this, ie lived in them would destroy us all and we'd offer no resistance in all honesty.
Well since I have no choice, I guess training is the only thing I can do and there's only one stat that can be trained under current circumstances.
I began meditating once more.
♔♚♔♚♔♚♔♚
A man entered a room, his tail wrapped around his waist taking steady confidant steps in his approach another second man beside with wore a white coat.
"There's nothing wrong with your daughter, just a weird trait that has not been seen once on a Saiyan, Bardock."
"Yet it was enough to inform me straight after my mission, I'd much rather see what the fuss is about about my daughter before I debrief the king on my successful mission."
The 2 arrived at a room and with a click of the button the door began opening with a clank revealing the well lit room with 3 devices, a computer and monitors as well as the Incubation Pod in the middle connected to the computer and monitors by thin wires.
Inside the pod was a girl who had smooth onyx hair which is somewhat spiky down to her shoulders, she had 5 bangs, 2 hanging at the edge of her face, 3 hanging to the right of her forehead and a 6th hanging down to her left eye. However what stood out to Bardock was the thin, silvery strands of her that were very noticeable.
"So this is what you meant, she looks different from the entire Saiyan race." Bardock spoke calmly thinking of what actually happened.
"We believe it might be a mutation, just come look at this." The doctor spoke turning on the computer and having the child's power level read, displaying a number no Saiyan has ever been born with.
"2775, what the hell?" Bardock was shocked, seeing his daughters birth power level be so high made him proud but also concerned.
"It was at 2675 when she was born," Explained the doctor as the computer beeped drawing their attention towards it, Betrae's power level increasing to 2850. "It goes up like that with the biggest boost in power level recorded 5 weeks ago. More than likely it's increasing slowly because of the developmental phase she was born in."
The doctor's face became serious, "We've had to place an energy suppression barrier around her cell to try and lesson the energy she has as we don't know much about this mutation she has, however we want your permission to activate it."
"You can, just update me on any new findings." Bardock granted permission and then asked a question, "Has Gine been informed?"
"Gine is aware and she's been coming here to be with the child for an hour a day."
"Sound's just like her," Bardock had seemed to not care much about the mother of his child on the surface but he did have a small smile threaten to appear as the conversation shifted to her. Looking at his daughter Bardock began thinking, He recognised that Betrae was certainly a mutant but he understood nothing on how it happened. It just happened to be this way, unless, Bardock recalled the legend of the Super Saiyan, and looking at his daughter's power level he shelved the thought.
'It's possible but unlikely, the Super Saiyan legend is just that, a legend. It's possibly an explanation but beyond that it is simply unlikely.' Bardock kept his thoughts to himself.
"I'm going to be heading home, Arugu. Inform me if anything else happens with my daughter."
Arugu, the doctor, gave a nod as Bardock left the room heading to meet with Gine at their home.
'I can't wait to see how strong Betrae will be," Bardock had that thought unable to contain that he indeed wanted to spar with his daughter at some point.
And thus 3 years would pass by.
A/N
Just something to mention. The Birth Power level was randomly selected by ChatGPT when asked to randomly select a number between 1000 and 5000.
The White Room is from Classroom of the elite, just adapted enough to make it different. I'm not going to mention them here much.
My Aux chapters will be deleted as well as they aren't needed anymore.